Most computer generated music is created in a constructive non-realtime fashion and not by playing any instrument. Performance of such music needs special concepts. I wrote an essay about this topic, Live Performance in the Age of Super Computers. I provide the audience with an experience it cannot get at home or when listening to a DJ set. I make use of multiple channels of audio, I place the listener in a deep, wide field of sound that is much bigger than the physical room defined by the speakers and the walls. I constantly interact with my instruments, and no performance is like another. I make use of sophisticated technologies, like the Monodeck II in conjunction with self-written software, which enables me to react to the audience, and to shape and actually play the music in a concert situation. I explore acousmatic concepts, ambisonics, and wave field synthesis for diffusion of sound in space.
Currently I follow three main directions with my performances: There is Monolake Live Surround, which is the big, massive audiovisual tour de force. There is Atom, and I also perform more ambient, drone, computer music influenced multichannel concerts as Robert Henke. (Layering Buddha, Intersection, Studies for Thunder...)
2010 July 31 Canada, Montreal, @ Cagibi, with Freida Abtan, Mem1, Shane Turner
2010 August 23 Monolake Live Surround Germany, Berlin, Dortmund, ISEA 2010
2010 September 2 Intersection NL, Amsterdam, STEIM
2010 September 24 Intersection USA, Seattle, Decibel Festival
2010 September 26 Monolake Live Surround USA, Seattle, Decibel Festival
2010 September 28 Intersection USA, Denver, DU
2010 October 1 Intersection USA, Los Angeles, Cal Arts
2010 October 3 Monolake Live Surround USA, Los Angeles, Red Cat
2010 October 7 Monolake Live Surround USA, Troy, EMPAC
2010 October 9 Monolake Live Surround USA, NYC, Bunker
2010 October 10 Intersection USA, NYC, Devotion
2010 October 13 Intersection USA, Boston, Berklee College
2010 October 19 Monolake Live Surround Austria, Vienna, Flakturm Arenbergpark
Monolake Live is walls of pulsating sound, made danceable by lots of percussions and deep, low and massive bass pulses. Monolake Live is clearly aimed towards a concert situation where people can dance. However, Monolake Live is a concert, and not background music. Monolake Live Surround is expanding the usual club sound experience by using four or more discrete channels of audio. Monolake Live Surround is an immersive experience way beyond the usual club and DJ setup. More about Monolake Live Surround...
Intersection, a post musique-concrete homage to Hanoi.
From the material of the Layering Buddha album we derived a very cool and deep six channel sourround ambient / drone set. Works very well in a focused atmosphere with people sitting and listening, preferable in complete darkness. Previously shown in Mexico City, at the Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, at the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sophia, Madrid and other locations.
A performance for a matrix of 64 floating gas balloons, lights, and sound. Atom has been performed at the Centre Pompidou, Paris and at Tesla, Berlin, at the MUTEK festival Montreal, and the STRP Festival in Eindhoven. The music for Atom is available as Atom_Document on CD and vinyl.
Atlantic Waves is one of the technically most ambitious projects so far. A performance for two players located in two different places, syncronized with each other and the interface is displayed for the audience. Atalntic Waves has been performed numerous times at verious locations including the Tate Modern Gallery, London.
Studies for Thunder 8 Channels is a 30 minute piece that recreates the impressive atmosphere of a huge thunder storm without the usage of any field recordings. A complete artifical sonic world. Studies for Thunders is 'serious' listening sound art and needs a focused atmosphere with people sitting. The piece has been realised at the Elektronic Studio of the Technical University Berlin.